This invention relates to an apparatus and method for jetting a fluid. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for jetting a fluid into a container such as a tubular member in order to chemically treat and/or wash the tubular member.
In the oil and gas industry, tubular members are utilized to deliver hydrocarbons and water in a variety of different settings. For instance, an oil and gas well bore may be drilled to a subterranean reservoir. The tubular member is placed in the well bore and can be used as a conduit to produce oil, gas and water. As another example, pipelines are utilized in order to deliver produced hydrocarbons from one site to another site.
As those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, these tubular members are susceptible to corrosion and deposition of materials such as scale. Operators find it necessary to attempt to prevent these problems, or alteratively, in those cases were it has already occurred, to attempt to clean the tubular member.
In the prior art, various devices have been attempted to treat and/or wash tubular members. These include casing scrapers that comprise a pad mounted on a cylindrical body, with the pad designed to scrape the tubular walls. Additionally, the prior art has developed a device known as a pig that is essentially a spherical member with scrapers thereon. The pig is inserted into tubular member and pumped from a first location to a second location in an attempt to clean the inner diameter of the tubular member. However, all these prior art devices lack the ability to adequate circulate a treating chemical and/or clean the walls of the tubular string.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and method that will adequately jet, circulate, and recirculate treating fluids at the desired point of treatment in the well bore. There is also a need for an apparatus and method that will remove scale and other depositions of materials on walls of tubular members. These and other needs will be met by the present invention as will be apparent from a reading of the description of the invention.